


Danse Macabre

by merelypassingtime



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 00:43:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15983957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merelypassingtime/pseuds/merelypassingtime
Summary: Tony Stark has been dancing with Death for years, neither one really sure who was leading.





	Danse Macabre

**Author's Note:**

> This was a strange little germ of an idea, I never intended to write. To me it feels like there is a longer story hiding inbetween these few words, but I don't think I am the right person to tell it.  
> Still, it did crazy well on Tumblr, so I thought I'd try it here too.  
> Maybe someone who does have the words will find it and write it right.

Death had been following Tony for years, ever since he failed to die in that cave in Afghanistan like he was meant to, like he should have. 

When it had been time to take Tony’s hand and release him from this life, Tony had looked up into Death face, tears in his eyes, and begged him. Death was use to that, had thought himself completely immune to the pleas of the dying after all these years, but the emotion on Tony’s face hadn’t been fear or anger, it had been a regret and sorrow so poignant it had cut into the heart Death no longer had.

“Please,” Tony had whispered, blood trickling from one corner of his mouth. “Please, I need more time. I need to do more. I need to make it right.”

Death had known it was not allowed, known the price for letting Tony have his request would be paid for ten times over in pain and suffering by both of them, but Tony had looked so earnest, his need to fix his mistakes had been so powerful, that Death had stayed his hand. 

After that Death had kept close to him, watching as Tony struggled to right the wrongs he had done, knowing it had been the right choice, and growing to respect the man behind the Iron mask.

Death watched as Tony began to take responsibility for grief and woe that were never his fault, and again Death’s nonexistent heart had ached for him. Once again, when he was meant to take Tony’s life after the Battle of New York, Death had held back, leaving Tony to wake up on on the asphalt surrounded by his teammates, looking more surprised than pleased.

After that things had really started to go to hell, so much so that even Death had been unable to stand idly by. And in the end, Death finally had to come for Tony, and after he’d used the Infinity Gauntlet he couldn’t avoid it anymore, this time Tony had taken his hand freely and with relief.

Tony grinned as he stood up, leaving his body behind as he did so. He stretched, seeming to work the kinks from his shoulders before he turned to face Death. “Fancy meeting you here.” 

“Not particularly fancy, no,” Death replied, his voice deep and rusty from long disuse.

“You know, I always knew there was something a bit off about you.”

“Yeah, well,” Death muttered with embarrassment. “This wasn’t the plan, but deals were made and prices were paid and here I am.”

“So, what should I call you really?”

“Oh, Stephen’s still fine.”


End file.
